NRL sack two refs and face legal action in the process

First, it was the NRL referees bosses who got the sack, and now, it is two NRL referees that have been shown the door – with the NRL acting swiftly on overall poor standard of refereeing, sacking experienced refs Steve Lyons and Tony De Las Heras.

Shown the door as the clean-out continues, Lyons, 42, says that he plans to take legal action against the NRL, citing a discrimination against his age as the reason for his sacking.

“They just called me in and gave me no reason other than saying they were going with younger blokes,” Lyons, 42, said.

The sacking came after Lyons was called into the NRL to meet with Operations Manager Nathan McGuirk and acting NRL Referees boss Russell Smith- with Lyons believing it was merely an opportunity to have a chat about the upcoming season.

“They already had my paperwork typed out,” Lyons said. “They just pulled it out of a folder. I had no opportunity to put up a case.

“I've been training my butt off ready to start with the rest of the referee